Government Wants 20 Million Foreign Tourists In 2020

[Greji]

i myself am fond of the kabukicho temple of meat curtain

Roppongi Rentals ain't to shabby either,,,,

[Mulboyne]

Over 400,000 of the 720,000 visitors last month came from Korea, Taiwan and HK but the Yomiuri is more interested in white people going to Koya-san :

[Cyka UchuuJin]

Couldn't agree more. I get the feeling that this cuntry is becoming increasingly insular the more it declines. If they were serious about tourism, they'd boost the tourism infrastructure. Like everything about Japanese business, though, they just want everything for themselves and give back as little as possible.

agree with both FGL and Yokohammer, as well as SDH. japan doesn't actually want people to see the 'real' japan. look at how many ryokans and onsens are off-limits to foreigners.

i, too, had regular visitors to hotel cyka over my years in japan, and the only person that ended up spending more money was ME, because my damn landlord used the number of foreign guests staying with me as the reason not to give me my deposit back.

[IparryU]

So my little brother wants to come out here again, but this time for summer and this is why I said no:
1. Summers in Japan suck ass, you live in Cali, have fun there
2. Beaches in japan are fckn dirty
3. Many Japanese girls wear granny panty lookin bathing suits, and they don't ever mow the lawn.
4. USD:JPY is shit for USD
5. Summers in Japan suck major ass
6. I have a wife and 2 sons and I cant go to Roppongi until I get divorced even though I live 15 minutes away on foot.
7. I cannot do the wake up for work while you sleep till 3 pm, get off work and go to bar then club all night, then go back to work while you sleep off your booze for another month.

Maybe a divorce would be a good idea? That and teach girls how to mow the lawn.

[Yokohammer]

Maybe a divorce would be a good idea? That and teach girls how to mow the lawn.

You have a lawn that's big enough to need mowing 15 minutes from Roppongi?

I think I remember seeing one of those back in the 70's sometime.

[Iraira]

they don't ever mow the lawn.

Dunno, maybe I've been lucky, and haven't had to forge through the tundra to get to the promised land much. You can always explain that it is a fire hazard and make them soak in a tub full of Nair beforehand.

[Yokohammer]

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

They weren't before? You mean people were actually coming here to see the temples and enjoy the four seasons?

Are you kidding? Foreign scum with long colons cannot possibly ever understand the significance of the four seasons that gives the Japanese their closeness to nature. I'd have thought you'd have realized that by now.

[Iraira]

Are you kidding? Foreign scum with long colons cannot possibly ever understand the significance of the four seasons that gives the Japanese their closeness to nature. I'd have thought you'd have realized that by now.

Summer is the best of the four exclusively Japanese seasons...a young couple can stroll along the concrete and look at the moonlight reflecting off the ocean. Concrete is romantic.

[Mike Oxlong]

Concrete is romantic.

It seems some folks think so...

"I've always loved concrete, especially the way it's been used by Louis Kahn and today's Japanese architects," he says. "It has a public gravitas. In this case, because you can see the grain of the 2-by-4s, it also lends a certain warmth and texture to the interiors."

[Jack]

So my little brother wants to come out here again, but this time for summer and this is why I said no:
1. Summers in Japan suck ass, you live in Cali, have fun there
2. Beaches in japan are fckn dirty
3. Many Japanese girls wear granny panty lookin bathing suits, and they don't ever mow the lawn.
4. USD:JPY is shit for USD
5. Summers in Japan suck major ass
6. I have a wife and 2 sons and I cant go to Roppongi until I get divorced even though I live 15 minutes away on foot.
7. I cannot do the wake up for work while you sleep till 3 pm, get off work and go to bar then club all night, then go back to work while you sleep off your booze for another month.

Maybe a divorce would be a good idea? That and teach girls how to mow the lawn.

1. Ok, it's hot and humid. I'll give you that.
2. Right, everyone comes to Japan for the beaches. Good reason not to come.
3. I don't know where you live but I couldn't disagree with you more.
4. Yes, sure. If your brother is a pauper then the disadvantageous exchange rate is a problem.
5. Sure, a bit strong but I see where you coming from.
6. Good one.
7. Another good one.

Basically what you are saying is there are no good reasons not to come to Japan in summer other than you don;t want to see your brother.

[Adhesive]

Foreign scum with long colons...

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Screwed-down Hairdo again.

I actually lawled. Hope you don't mind me appropriating this into my everyday conversation with Japanese.

[6810]

Are you kidding? Foreign scum with long colons cannot possibly ever understand the significance of the four seasons that gives the Japanese their closeness to nature. I'd have thought you'd have realized that by now.

You've got it mixed up. Foreign scum have shorter colons. Weren't you paying attention in class?

Jpn-ese have long colons cos of all the veges they eat and westerners cos of all the meat. Dogs and cats, carnivores have short intestines - their stomach acids are stron to take care of all that ingested flesh. Herbivores often have multiple stomachs and longer guts.

Sheesh.

but i see what you were trying to say...

[American Oyaji]

So you're saying Japanese are the weak to be preyed upon by the foreign carnivores?

[6810]

Naturally... (geddit?)

[Greji]

So you're saying Japanese are the weak to be preyed upon by the foreign carnivores?

You got that right! Ain't it great?

[IparryU]

[quote="Jack"]3. I don't know where you live but I couldn't disagree with you more.
Basically what you are saying is there are no good reasons not to come to Japan in summer other than you don]

3. is an inside joke between me and my bro... one night out (tuesday) and that is all that we found.... no BS.

Basically, I dont want my brother to come to Japan because of #7... Summer sucks ass here compared to Cali.

[Jack]

Basically, I dont want my brother to come to Japan because of #7... Summer sucks ass here compared to Cali.

I know what you mean. I have a place in Carlsbad (30 miles North of San Diego) and it is amazing there not only in summer but yearround.

[IparryU]

I know what you mean. I have a place in Carlsbad (30 miles North of San Diego) and it is amazing there not only in summer but yearround.

Ya I know that area a lil bit. We are from Sac... lots of cows out there... But going to the river or lake is always kick ass.

BBQs, beer, just relaxing on the rocks watching the water. Lots of girl action too, none of that funny "I am wearing a bikini but I need a umbrella to keep my skin white" BS...

I miss Cali!!!!!!!

[Mulboyne]

I'm coming round to the view that Japan may have some long term success in promoting itself as a tourist destination. Almost every day I see some article about a local initiative to encourage tourism so I think the idea that many Japanese used to have of it as a business for 3rd world countries in Asia is fading fast.

In a lot of destinations around the world, the local population has a degree of contempt for tourists as a group and I don't expect Japan to be any different. The key point is if business and administrative decisions begin to be guided by the need to promote a tourist-friendly image and there are some signs of that. It won't happen easily, and there are a lot of pieces which still need to fall into place but the will seems to be there.

Rochelle Kopp, who runs Japan Intercultural Consulting, has often spoken about Japan becoming the Italy of Asia. A Japanese blogger here makes the same case. It's always a problem to force these comparisons but, as far as tourism goes, you can see some similarities. Both countries have good reputations for food, especially regional delicacies. Both have a strong global image without being particularly influential world players. Both have populations which aren't especially internationally-minded but do have a strong sense of national identity. Both have a reputation for craftsmanship in certain areas, including fashion and design.

Ultimately, it will come down to economics. The cities and resorts which are moving fastest to accommodate tourists are those which have already seen some of the benefits. If there aren't many other businesses to drive Japan's domestic economy then it's not hard to envisage a situation where tourist spending is eagerly sought. Initially, everyone will try to do so while maintaining business as usual elsewhere but the penny may eventually drop.

[dimwit]

Ultimately, it will come down to economics. The cities and resorts which are moving fastest to accommodate tourists are those which have already seen some of the benefits. If there aren't many other businesses to drive Japan's domestic economy then it's not hard to envisage a situation where tourist spending is eagerly sought. Initially, everyone will try to do so while maintaining business as usual elsewhere but the penny may eventually drop.

At a local level, I have seen this. In Matsuyama, we purportedly get 5 million tourist a year. While the hotel infrastructure has always been here, there has been a very noticeable attempt to beautify the Dogo Onsen area by putting in an open air cafe, tearing down the 1960's concrete pillbox Koban and replacing it with something more in the style that the area is trying to cultivate.

Below Matsuyama Castle, the street used to lined with futon shops and secondhand appliance stores. However in the last five years these have been replace with restaurants and souvenir shops.

On the other hand, we went up to Iwami Silver Mine in Shimane during Golden Week. It was underwhelming. The port, which is part of a UNESCO world heritage site was a deteriorating pier with waaaaaay too much concrete and a beautiful concrete tetra-pod break-wall. The onsen town we stayed at had exactly one bar/restaurant that stayed open after 8 P.M. There were tons of museums there, but these were just patronage government works projects run by civil servants rather than curators who had no idea what to do with the structure once it was built. All in all, I got the impression that the locals found tourists an inconvenience and foreign tourists much more so.

[Cyka UchuuJin]

I'm coming round to the view that Japan may have some long term success in promoting itself as a tourist destination. Almost every day I see some article about a local initiative to encourage tourism so I think the idea that many Japanese used to have of it as a business for 3rd world countries in Asia is fading fast.

In a lot of destinations around the world, the local population has a degree of contempt for tourists as a group and I don't expect Japan to be any different. The key point is if business and administrative decisions begin to be guided by the need to promote a tourist-friendly image and there are some signs of that. It won't happen easily, and there are a lot of pieces which still need to fall into place but the will seems to be there.

Rochelle Kopp, who runs Japan Intercultural Consulting, has often spoken about Japan becoming the Italy of Asia. A Japanese blogger here makes the same case. It's always a problem to force these comparisons but, as far as tourism goes, you can see some similarities. Both countries have good reputations for food, especially regional delicacies. Both have a strong global image without being particularly influential world players. Both have populations which aren't especially internationally-minded but do have a strong sense of national identity. Both have a reputation for craftsmanship in certain areas, including fashion and design.

Ultimately, it will come down to economics. The cities and resorts which are moving fastest to accommodate tourists are those which have already seen some of the benefits. If there aren't many other businesses to drive Japan's domestic economy then it's not hard to envisage a situation where tourist spending is eagerly sought. Initially, everyone will try to do so while maintaining business as usual elsewhere but the penny may eventually drop.

melbs, i loves ya man. but after my recent asian tour, it is clear that japan ain't going to come close to the numbers. shanghai...(granted, expo on) fucking packed. coouldn't even get a room at the park hyatt and the sheer mass of humanity taking pics of the new skyline was jaw dropping. hong kong...they be building. that new intnernational conference centre and cultural park, millions alone going through there. and macau, my personal favourite. half a million citizens packed into 20-odd square miles with the wynn, mgm grand, sands, etc. middle of the week, 40C at least...and the casinos and hotels packed, wth more construction being built.

there will always be the frugal americans (or is it canadaland>) that will go camp out on alicia's couch to spend that extra 500 yen on some tourist souvenier (made next door in shezhen, btw), but those are not the people that are going to get japan anywhere near the 20 million. not with the ICC in and shopping, HK (with rumours of expanding Disneyland), the nearby gambling and whores in Macau, the waterfront with reduced rents in Singapore, and places Guangzhao and Shenzen tripling in size overnight. and everything japan has, they've already copied. twice i had people ask me if it was an apple ipad i had or was it the lenovo ipet/apad (coldn't get the accent)

japan's best hope for tourism right now is as mentioned elsewhere...get that 2nd largest economy in gear and build massive fuckoff costco shops out near narita, and kix and grant chip implant controls for 72 hour visitors to make them explode upon expiration (that last bit is my contribution). get them chinkychinese in, get their unionpay cards hoppin, and get them back out the door.
and that way, the japanese finally what they always wanted...japan for the japanese. and they can enjoy of a four full seasons in quiet happiness and peace without a fear of some gaijin to upset the balance of nature.

[nottu]

[Adhesive]

melbs, i loves ya man. but after my recent asian tour, it is clear that japan ain't going to come close to the numbers. shanghai...(granted, expo on) fucking packed. coouldn't even get a room at the park hyatt and the sheer mass of humanity taking pics of the new skyline was jaw dropping. hong kong...they be building. that new intnernational conference centre and cultural park, millions alone going through there. and macau, my personal favourite. half a million citizens packed into 20-odd square miles with the wynn, mgm grand, sands, etc. middle of the week, 40C at least...and the casinos and hotels packed, wth more construction being built.

there will always be the frugal americans (or is it canadaland>) that will go camp out on alicia's couch to spend that extra 500 yen on some tourist souvenier (made next door in shezhen, btw), but those are not the people that are going to get japan anywhere near the 20 million. not with the ICC in and shopping, HK (with rumours of expanding Disneyland), the nearby gambling and whores in Macau, the waterfront with reduced rents in Singapore, and places Guangzhao and Shenzen tripling in size overnight. and everything japan has, they've already copied. twice i had people ask me if it was an apple ipad i had or was it the lenovo ipet/apad (coldn't get the accent)

japan's best hope for tourism right now is as mentioned elsewhere...get that 2nd largest economy in gear and build massive fuckoff costco shops out near narita, and kix and grant chip implant controls for 72 hour visitors to make them explode upon expiration (that last bit is my contribution). get them chinkychinese in, get their unionpay cards hoppin, and get them back out the door.
and that way, the japanese finally what they always wanted...japan for the japanese. and they can enjoy of a four full seasons in quiet happiness and peace without a fear of some gaijin to upset the balance of nature.

+One

[Mulboyne]

melbs, i loves ya man. but after my recent asian tour, it is clear that japan ain't going to come close to the numbers...

There's certainly no way Japan will hit any of the current official targets and I'm not trying to talk up what's available now. The main reason I have for changing my view is that many of the tourist promotion schemes over the years have just paid lip service to the idea. No-one really saw it as an important option. This seems to have changed markedly and the media is now following monthly visitor numbers with the same attention they use to give to auto exports. I can't see Japan getting it's act together quickly but things do tend to change at a fair pace in the country when everyone is finally pointing in the same direction.

[Iraira]

but after my recent asian tour.

Yeah, I caught your show in Akihabara, you rocked in that maid outfit.

[Mulboyne]

Kyushu has just announced its own target for inbound tourism in 2013. The island currently accounts for 8% of foreign visitors to Japan which comes to around 600,000. How did they arrive at their target figure? They took the government's official goal of 15 million visitors in 2013 (just over double the current number this year), decided that they should aim to attract 10%, not 8%, of the total and came up with 1.5 million. That is, they are shooting for a 2.5x increase over the next three years.

I'm all in favour of setting ambitious goals but all this talk of headline numbers gets a bit wearing in the absence of any explanatory context. In particular, they aren't very helpful for practical business planning.

[Greji]

Yeah, I caught your show in Akihabara, you rocked in that maid outfit.

Ahh, you were drunk as usual. That was me in the maid outfit. Cyka was wearing was wearing the vacuum truck worker's outfit with the soiled bib-overalls.....

[Iraira]

Ahh, you were drunk as usual. That was me in the maid outfit. Cyka was wearing was wearing the vacuum truck worker's outfit with the soiled bib-overalls.....

Ew...she told me it was chocolate and I tried to suck the stains out for about 30 minutes. Tasted nutty, she must have a high fiber diet.

[Doctor Stop]

That is, they are shooting for a 2.5x increase over the next three years.

just a thought, but maybe they should start thinking about building 2.5x the number of current attractions in the next three years, or find some way to make their current attractions 2.5x as attractive as they currently are.